waxbill

[ waks-bil ]

/ ˈwæksˌbɪl /

noun

any of several small Old World finches, especially of the genus Estrilda, that have white, pink, or red bills of waxy appearance and are often kept as cage birds.

Nearby words

wax plant, wax tablet, wax tree, waxahachie, waxberry, waxbill, waxcloth, waxed paper, waxen, waxer, waxeye

Origin of waxbill

First recorded in 1745–55; wax¹ + bill²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for waxbill

The goldfinch, linnet, waxbill, and several others belong to this interesting tribe.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural History|Theodore Wood

British Dictionary definitions for waxbill

waxbill

/ (ˈwæksˌbɪl) /

noun

any of various chiefly African finchlike weaverbirds of the genus Estrilda and related genera, having a brightly coloured bill and plumage

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012